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Tofino-Ucluelet animal rescue group launches fundraiser to honour former vet

CARE announces fundraiser to honour Jane Hunt’s iconic and dedicated service caring for local animals
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CARE is hosting a fundraiser to help a stray cat colony in honour of Dr. Jane Hunt. (Westerly News file photo)

A fundraiser has been launched to honour Dr. Jane Hunt’s iconic and dedicated service caring for local animals.

Dr. Hunt served as the West Coast’s only licenced veterinarian from 1988 to 2004 and the Coastal Animal Rescue and Education Network has launched a fundraiser in her honour.

“It’s a thank you to Dr. Jane Hunt for her years of community service,” CARE co-founder James Rodgers told the Westerly News.

He said CARE is hoping to raise $10,000 in order for its mobile vet clinic to host spay, neuter and vaccination clinics for a feral colony of over 100 cats “that are near and dear to Jane’s heart” and are living along the coastline of Barkley Sound.

“She really wants to see them helped,” he said.

He added that CARE is expecting a large number of supporters to step up because of Hunt’s legendary reputation and commitment to animals on the West Coast.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of people coming forward. Anyone who had an animal in need of medical attention before 2004 out here on the Coast probably knows Jane and is very thankful that she was here,” he said.

He added Hunt was also “really instrumental” in the launch of both Tofino and Ucluelet’s local Stray Cats About Town programs that helped feral colonies.

“Finally, I think we all can have an opportunity to thank her. She’s a very private person so we’re passing on the ‘Thank Yous’ and peoples’ stories to her. This is something she’s very keen to see happen, getting these cats the help that they need,” he said. “This is a quiet fundraising ‘Thank you’ for her years of community service.”

He added it will likely take several clinics for the Mission Pawsible mobile vet team to spay, neuter and vaccinate the large colony of cats.

“We’d like to get it done over the next couple of months before the really nasty weather hits,” he said.

Anybody wanting to support the cause can visit www.carenetwork.ca for more information and to donate.

“The time is right. She’s still here and still a member of our community. This is a great time to thank her and this is how she would like to be thanked, by helping these cats, which seems very fitting,” he said.

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Andrew Bailey

About the Author: Andrew Bailey

I arrived at the Westerly News as a reporter and photographer in January 2012.
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